AU Backdarft corrie

Opie woke up, finding the clumps of hair. He knew this day was coming and he prepared for it. He heard his clippers turning off in the bathroom. He went inside to see his wife's hair gone; in the sink. He remained silent as he took the clippers from her. He kissed the nape of her neck before turning the clippers back on and began to follow suit.

She watched in awe as the man she loved shaved all his hair off and all the emotional strength she had evaporated and tears streamed down her face. Silently, she ran her hands over his head and marveled at his green eyes as though she was seeing him for the first time
"You d-din't h-have to."

Opie dropped a kiss on her forehead, "I love you and I plan to go through this with you. We will overcome this together."

The look in his eye made her shiver. He was so sincere in his love that it always amazed her. Leaning up on her toes, wobbling slightly, she kissed his lips gently. As her hands roamed his freshly shaven head, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Slowly, her mouth slightly agape, she turned and stared at herself. She'd lost twenty pounds in the last three weeks. She hadn't told Opie the amount, but she was sure he'd noticed. The bags under her eyes looked faintly bruise-like and her lips were dry. Now, to top off all of that, she head was bald.

Looking at Opie's reflection her head dipped forward and she cried harder.

"I look terrible."

Opie cupped her chin, making her eyes look into his, "Quite the opposite. You look strong, brave, and courageous. You look absolutely beautiful to me."

The genuine smile that flitted across her face felt almost foreign to her. She grabbed his hand and led him back to the bed. Noticing all the hair had been cleaned up, she frowned some. She wished she wasn't putting him through so very much. She sank into bed and, once he was in his spot beside her, she drifted off to sleep.

_________




A month later



When they added the radiation to her treatment she was certain she was going to die. The chemo alone wasn't doing enough and it had spread to her bones. They told her that if this didn't stop the spreading it would be terminal and that if it did work she would need a bone marrow transplant. Everyone in the family had been tested and the only match was Dee. Being that Dee was currently pregnant, that would have to wait. Corrie had to hang on until the boys were born before she could see an end in sight.

She lay in the bed she shared with Opie who had left for work earlier that day at Corrie's insistence, she shivered as she read her book. After n hour, she knew she was sick. They had told her the radiation would kill her immune system and that when she did get sick it would get very bad very fast. scared that if she waited it would be too bad for her to handle, she got dressed, put her scarf on her head and made her way to the fire house by taxi.

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When she walked into the firehouse everyone stared. All the men of ladder 16 pitied Opie and that bothered him, he had tols her as much. She spotted him in the pool area playing with Morrow and she made her way over, a deep cough racking her body as she did so.

Opie stood up to greet, "Hey, I thought you were going to go see your mom?" He leaned in, kissing her cheek gently

Her brow furrowed, "Did I say that?"

The medicine often left her a little dazed. She cuddled up to him, watching as the other firefighters, with the exception of Morrow, left the room like she was contagious. She sighed against Opie, coughing again.

Morrow crossed the room to her and placed his weathered hand on her brow, "Winston, she's burning up." The older man looked at him with concern, reaching out and removing her scarf from her head.
"You shouldn't be this bundled up, darlin," he spoke as he also removed her sweatshirt, leaving her in just a tank and her Yoga pants.

She had nothing but respect for Morrow. after all he'd been through he had come back and helped with the clean up. She could see, now, what Juice saw in him. Her head swam as she ran a hand absently over her bald head.

Morrow placed the girl in a chair and went to get his medic bag. He knew all about cancer. His oldest daughter had died of it in her late teens and he didn't like how Corrie looked. She'd saved his life and he damn sure wasn't going to sit back and watch as she withered away.

He pulled out a temporal thermometer and ran it gently over her forehead.

Looking at Ope he spoke, "Her temp is 103, go grab two tylenol, two motrin, and a cool wet cloth."

While Opie was out of the room he looked corrie in the eyes earnestly, "When did you start feeling sick?"

Corrie's breath was raspy and painful, "This morning. I didn't want him to stay home and miss out here any more, so I told him to go. I told him I was fine."

Clay placed a hand on her wrist to check her pulse, "You can't do that. My daughter died of this shit. If you even feel the thought of being sick coming on, you have to tell him. We might have to take you in."

Corrie rested back against the chair, "I was afraid of that."

When Opie returned to the room Morrow took the pills from him and made Corrie take them. Grabbing Opie by the upper arm he pulled him just out of earshot of Corrie.

"You take her in or I will. I'm pretty certain she had pneumonia. That shit can kill people on radiation and chemo, Ope. Look at her," he pointed to her as her head listed to one side and she drifted off to sleep, "it's like she's a shell of herself. Why didn't you sayi t was so bad? I would have helped, we all would have helped."

Opie sighed, "I was respecting her wishes. Believe me there were times I wanted to..." Opie looked down at his wife with deep concern, "I knew I should have just taken you to the hospital today. Come on, love." He reached down and gently scooped her up. "Clay, would you mind driving us?"

Clay nodded, he knew how hard this could be.
"Well, now we know. Someone from the firehouse wil be oncall to help you at all times. You're our brother. She saved my life. I'll do whatever you need."

Corrie nuzzled against Opie, shivering and coughing, as she reached out and took Clay's hand. They rode to the hospital in silence, save the ragged sound of het breathing. She slept through most of the ride. When they reached the ER her oncologist was already starting the admintance process. Ope had called on the way.
The doctor shook his head at the bloodwork, "Call her family, it's going to be a rough couple of days. She's a fight," he rested a hand on Opie's shoulder, "she'll pull through."

Clay stayed with Corrine once she was settled in a room so Opie could make the necessary calls. As be sat holding her hand while she slept, he notice a man in the hall with a camera. When he realized someone had leaked to the press she was here he strode to the door and quietly shut it.Clay was fuming by the time Opie returned.

Opie kissed Corrie's forehead gently. "Her family is on the way...you okay, Clay?

He thought about how to break it to Opie that one of his wife's weakest moments was likely to end up in the paper the next day. He sighed.

"There was a photographer in the hall. I have no idea how they got in, but they were taking pictures of me holding Corrie's hand. I shut the door, but it will probably be all over the papers tomorrow."

Corrie wheezed and coughed in her sleep. Having another nightmare, fueled by drugs, about the hole.

"Did you see where the bastard went?" His eyes were cut and he looked like he could explode.

Ashamed, Clay shook his head.

"I didn't want to wake her, Winston. I just shut the door."

Corrie coughed and called out for Opie in her sleep.

Clay looked at Opie, "I'll go look through the halls, make sure there isn't anymore. You just stay here."

Opie nodded, "Thanks man." He watched as Clay walked out of the room before looking at his wife with worry, "Hey baby, I'm right here." He brought her hand to his lips gently.

Corrie woke from her drug induced stupor, eyelashes fluttering. The feeling brought on by her labored breathing made her panic. She knew she was breathing but it was so hard she felt like she couldn't.

She squeezed Opie's hand as tight as she could, "It's...like...I..can't...breathe."

Each word came with a gasping breath, tears stung her eyes. She was officially scared.

"Harry," she stared up at him

Opie stroked her head gently, "Shh...it's going to be okay."

Just then, Tig came in and immediately tears came to his eyes. He hent over to her, kissing her forehead, "Hey honey..."

Seeing tears in her father's eyes did not help soothe her nerves. She held his hand with her free hand, afraid to talk to him because of the gasping breaths. Just a few minutes later her mother walked in the room.

"Oh, baby.." Gemma all but sobbed as she quickly crossed the room and put her bag down.

The older woman had already lost one child, she didn't know if she could survive losing another. She ran her finger's over her daughter's bare scalp, watching as she closed her eyes and smiled some. The raspy sound of her breath alarmed her. She hoped Dita hurried.


Corrie opened her eyes, enjoying the sensation of her mother's fingers lazily tracing shapes on her scalp. When another cough crashed against her like a tidal wave she sat up and squeezed Opie's hand, desperately trying to catch her breath. Finally, she lay back against the bed, breathing fast and shallow, but at least breathing.

Dita arrived a few minutes later, looking tired but staying strong. Her belly had ballooned out like a beach ball under her coat. She looked at her sister; her best friend, tears in her eyes, "Oh Cor..."

When Corrie saw Dita arrive her fogged brain started setting off alarms. She sat straight up and stared accusingly at Opie, her breath coming in short, raspy, gasps.

"Did they tell you to call everyone," her eyes were wide and she barely was able to get the sentence out before she started sobbing, making breathing that much harder, "Am I dying?!" she yelled, her voice cracking, her breathing becoming faster and shallower, "Oh sweet mother of god, I'm dying! "

She sobbed so hard her lips started to take on a light blue hue.

Opie shushed her frantically, "No...no...you are fine. I just thought I'd let them know..."

She shook her head, "I don't believe you!"

The only way to feel like she was getting enough air was to gulp it in.

"Daddy!" she reached out for Tig turning her back on Opie and yanking her hand away.

Tig gave Opie a pained look and mouthed, "I'm sorry," as he pulled Corrie to his chest. He couldn't stand to see her like this. Usually she was so strong and sure, it was heartbreaking. He reached out for Dita, knowing she'd need support too.

"I'm dying, I know I am," she cried.

Dita looked at her sister, panic setting in, "Stop it!" She rushed over, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her, "Shut up! You aren't dying! Stop! Stop! You can't die! I can't lose you too!"

Corrie blinked rapidly, disoriented by the forceful shaking. She gasped for air and stared straight ahead for moment to try to keep the room from spinning.

"I'm sorry," the room swirled around her.

She looked over at Opie's face, hurt evident there, "Opie, I'm sorry," she was sobbing again.

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Dita pulled her close, "Don't be sorry...just please...please...don't give up. We need you."